TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Burton Burns' first running back tandem at Alabama featured Terry Grant and Glen Coffee. They combined for 1,436 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Ever since that inaugural year, the numbers compiled by Burns' pupils have been far from modest. Burns' latest duo of Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon combined for 2,430 yards and 29 touchdowns during the Crimson Tide's 2012 BCS National Championship campaign.

None of the accomplishments, whether it be Mark Ingram's Heisman trophy or Trent Richardson's 21-touchdown 2011, have been lost on Burns, who enters his seventh season as Alabama's running backs coach.

"It's awesome, man," Burns said during a Media Day interview before the BCS National Championship. "I've just been really blessed."

The blessings have come in the form of Coffee, Ingram,Richardson, Lacy and Yeldon. Each back notched at least one season of more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, as Alabama's running attack has been one of the most consistently daunting in college football since things really kicked into gear in 2008.

Simply put, he's been the man behind the scenes at a place many have labeled "Running Back U."

"They all have different personalities. It's been a learning experience for me," Burns said. "The one common thing about all these guys is they all are great teammates; very supportive of each other, from Glen Coffee when we first got here to these guys we have this year.

"I'm really impressed and excited about that part of it because if you're ever around those guys, they all have each other's back."

Burns, a New Orleans native, has been coaching longer than his current running backs have been living. The former Nebraska fullback logged eight years in the same position at Clemson before he joined Nick Saban's staff in 2007. He's also held assistant coaching jobs at Tulane, Southern University and a handful of New Orleans area high schools.

Burns, who has been frequently courted for other jobs, and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart are the only members of Saban's 2007 on-field assistant coaching staff who have remained with the program throughout the entirety of Saban's tenure.

"It's been a blast for me," Burns said. "All those things play a part in kind of where you're at, whatever profession you're in. All the experiences I've had has helped develop me for this moment right here."

Burns largely deflects the role he's had during this current run of Alabama running backs, a group that will feature four new faces -- Derrick Henry, Altee Tenpenny, Tyren Jones and Alvin Kamara -- in 2013. He joked that the most important thing is getting them all to arrive 15 minutes early for practice.

Really, the hard part's over by the time they arrive on campus, Burns said. By then, they typically know and understand that Alabama is at its best when it's dividing its carries among a number of running backs.

"That's something that really, really good players want to do," Burns said. "They want to get better every day. The better the competition, the better chance they're going to get better. We've been really blessed to get the guys we have because of that.

"Those guys have the right personality. They're very competitive kids and they want to get better every day. They know the best thing to do is have a guy that can push you every day."

Burns is there with a push and always preaches fundamentals, Lacy said, but it's what he's not doing that makes him a players' coach.

"If you just listen to him and do exactly what he say, you don't have to change," Lacy said. "He coaches not changing your game, but just add what he's teaching you to what you have. As long as you do that, you know you're going to be a successful back."

For the past six years, Burns has been more than happy to do just that.

"The unique thing about these guys is all these guys are really good kids and good people," Burns said. "Somebody did a good job -- parents, coaches -- of putting them in the right frame of mind to play this game.

"Football is a team sport and the unique thing about all these guys is I have to pace myself every once in a while. All these guys have been great teammates."